Neighbours finale: All the highlights from the final episode as iconic soap ends after 37 years

With births, deaths, marriages and the odd explosion taking centre stage on Neighbours week-in and week-out since 1985, how did the iconic Aussie soap wrap up after 37 years?

The long-running series came to an end on Thursday night after almost four decades on air and yet, surprisingly, there was not one explosion in sight. 

Instead, the series ended in a beautiful way, with a street party featuring past and present stars marking the end of an era. 

READ MORE: Guy Pearce reveals the Hollywood star who is ‘beside herself’ about his Neighbours finale return

Here are all the highlights from the very last episode of the legendary Aussie series: 

Ramsay Street homes up for sale

It wouldn’t be Ramsay Street without good neighbours. However, with all but one of the houses up for sale, we couldn’t help but feel a knot in our stomachs knowing that our favourite residents were set to vacate. 

The only house not on the market was the Kennedy residence – and, naturally, matriarch Susan Kennedy (played by Jackie Woodburne) was feeling anxious about losing her neighbours.

“This street’s just not going to be the same, is it?” she tells husband Karl Kennedy (played by Alan Fletcher), who replies: “Oh, well, we’ve had new neighbours before, we’ll make new memories.”

But in the end, they don’t need to worry about that as the residents have a change of heart later in the episode and decide to stay on Ramsay Street, including Toadie (played by Ryan Moloney).

After being told by his former neighbours that Ramsay Street without Toadie was like “a beer that you can’t open” or a “pie without sauce”, he decides to stay in Erinsborough. 

Toadie’s wedding

After walking down the aisle four times with four different brides, this time around Toadie runs down the aisle with his fiancée Mel (Lucinda Cowden).

Viewers will remember the unlucky-in-love character first tied the knot with Dee (Madeleine West) but their wedding day ended in tragedy after he drove off a cliff. Next up, he married long-time crush Steph Scully (Carla Bonner), but he did it to help cover up her pregnancy. Fans thought he finally found love with Sonya (Eve Morey), but their wedding was interrupted by an explosion and Sonya ends up dying in his arms.

But it’s fourth time lucky for Toadie as his lakeside nuptials – officiated by Susan Kennedy – go off without a hitch. 

Return of Scott and Charlene

While the return of Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue was no big secret, we still lost our breath when we saw them in character as Scott and Charlene, driving into Ramsay Street – in a similar fashion to when they left, back in 1989.

The show’s original golden couple are still very much in love and together as Donovan and Minogue’s 1988 duet Especially For You plays in the background. 

“Look at this, huh? Crazy. Crazy. We made it,” Scott said on camera, to which Charlene replied: “Home sweet home.”

Elsewhere in the episode, their good friends Mike Young (played by Guy Pearce) and Jane Harris (played by Annie Jones) are in awe that Scott and Charlene are still together after their iconic wedding.

“I guess they were just so in love, they never let anything get in their way,” Jane told Mike. 

Former stars appear in special video message

There’s no denying that Neighbours launched the careers of many stars, who remain grateful to the soap for giving them the kickstart they needed. 

And perhaps as a thank you, many former stars did not hesitate to return for the final episode.

Among the many familiar faces were Delta Goodrem, Jesse Spencer, Kym Valentine and Margot Robbie, who each appeared in a video montage to congratulate Toadie on his wedding. Watch the clip above.

“My years living on Ramsay Street were honestly some of the best of my entire life,” Robbie said in character as Donna Freedman. “You all stood by me, even when I invented the Shrugalero.”

For those not familiar, Donna was a fashionista who created the Shrugalero – a scarf you wear around your shoulders.

Meanwhile, Holly Valance and Natalie Imbruglia – whose respective characters Felicity “Flick” Scully and Beth Brennan randomly ran into each other on a park bench and got acquainted – also sent their love via video call.

“It just goes to show wherever you are in the world, Ramsay Street can bring you together,” Imbruglia said in character, as Flick chimed in: “Sending love to you.”

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